How many days?

[TXAKDisneyFan]

My family and I (me, DH, 4 kids ages 9, 4, 1, 8 mos) are going to WDW in July. I looked for onsite rooms at Uni, but the cheapest rooms that come up for me on their website are $852.33 a night (it looks like they count infants toward room occupancy, unlike Disney? A room at Portofino would be $442.33 if they didn't count infants toward occupancy.) EDIT: I figured out how to apply a military discount and it took the Portofino parlor suite down to $596.33 per night (still more than we want to pay tho).

We wanted to stay onsite to get the benefit of early entry into HP, and possibly for express pass (depending on resort). However, we're staying onsite at WDW for 12 nights. So we could just take time out of our Disney plans and go to Universal on a day or two, especially since we could maybe leave the younger three kids with family and only take our oldest to Universal (she's almost 51 inches tall).

The attractions we're interested in are: Escape from Gringott's, Forbidden Journey, Ollivander's, Hogwart's Express (both ways), Jurassic Park River Adventure, Bilge-Rat Barges, Revenge of the Mummy, Skull Island: Reign of Kong, Spider Man, Transformers, and maybe the Simpson's Ride. (We've been on the Hulk and Dragon Challenge and I don't really care to ride them again, and don't care to ride Rip Ride Rockit.) I'm not sure how long it would take to do those attractions: one, two, three days? Opening to close (looks like regular hours in June are 9 am to 9 pm most days)? Should we buy an express pass?

I feel so lost trying to plan for Universal : (

 

[damo]

In the summer, things take longer to get done. I'd plan for two days. It might be cheaper to get a room for the night than getting express passes....price it all out. With a paid room (you don't have to stay in it) you get check in and check out day of express and two mornings of early admission. Check what the cheapest room at RPR would be.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

As someone who knows the park like the park of their hands....I can do them in about two days and still want to do more after that. I go during offseason and rarely with little kids also, so imo if you have the time then shoot for 3 days.

I also suggest seeing Terminator and ET....Ya never know if it'll be the last time to do so and imo they're worth it. Plus they have some fun playgrounds that you might want to let your kids enjoy for a little while.

I do agree with Damo...Get the RPR for one night for 2 days of express if you can afford it.

 

[schumigirl]

Infants are counted for occupancy.

I agree with one night stay for 2 days EP..........it will be worth it!

 

[wookiebeck]

You have a family of six. Not much you can do but know it will cost you. I'm not even sure a suite is the best plan of attack. We got two rooms in RPR when we went. One parent is booked into each and split the kids up. We saved $$ that way. And it will most likely be cheaper than buying 6 express passes (and as PP said, you get two days of EP with one night hotel stay.)

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Another option is I could take our daughter over to Uni for the day while DH stays w the younger kids at WDW, and then we could go back and do a longer Uni trip a few months later (stay in a 2 bedroom suite for a week, maybe take along a grandparent to help watch kids). I really want to go to Uni this trip, though, as we haven't been there in over 10 years (stuck to WDW with the kids, and I was pregnant last year when we had planned to go). Would a day be long enough to at least do the main HP stuff (Escape, FJ, and Hogwart's Express), especially if it's just me and my DD9?